Workstreams

SFT build

Well-designed buildings, built for community use, have the power to transform lives. Through our build programme, new schools and community buildings are doing just that – creating employment, helping the environment, as well as providing people with much-improved places for them to learn, visit or work.

SFT invest

Limited public finances mean resources need to be applied innovatively to attract and secure additional economic investment. We continue to explore the best funding and financing solutions in pursuit of our overall objective of improving the effectiveness and impact of infrastructure investment in Scotland.

SFT connect

For any country, securing the best digital connectivity is an essential part of creating a successful economy.
Our experts work with industry and the wider public sector to drive innovation and change, ensuring the right mechanisms,
partnerships and commercial approaches are developed to deliver a next-generation
telecommunications infrastructure for Scotland.

SFT green

Our focus is to support Scotland's transition to a low carbon economy and help it reach its climate change targets. Not only does our work generate cost and carbon savings, but it supports local economic development and improves the quality of public buildings and assets.

SFT home

Increasing the supply and improving the quality of housing across Scotland remains
a key priority for us. Our award-winning housing experts are working to put in place
innovative solutions to increase the supply of affordable and mid-market rent housing.

SFT place

Huge advancements are being made as to how public buildings are used and managed.
In turn, this is supporting the delivery of improved public services and significant progress
is being made with much of our activity focusing on offices and the sale of surplus properties.

SFT
build

Well-designed buildings, built for community use, have the power to transform lives. Through our build programme, new schools and community buildings are doing just that – creating employment, helping the environment, as well as providing people with much-improved places for them to learn, visit or work.

Schools Pilot Project

Part of the work we carry out is to encourage Scotland’s councils take a fresh approach to how they set and manage design briefs.

This has been illustrated through our Schools Pilot project which brought together two councils from opposite sides of the country to build state-of-the-art schools for the benefit of their communities (Eastwood High School in East Renfrewshire and the Lasswade Centre in Midlothian), using a similar design.

Eastwood High School

Eastwood High School - theatre

Eastwood High School

Eastwood High School - theatre

The Lasswade Centre - toilets

Lasswade Centre

Lasswade Centre - community facilities

Lasswade Centre - community coffee shop

Eastwood High School - library

Lasswade Centre

Eastwood High School - aerial image

This was the first time two Scottish councils came together and proved so successful that the collaborative approach has been used by other councils to achieve benefits and savings across the programme.

The Lasswade Centre has stood out for the numerous community benefits being delivered as it has a secondary school, a community library, a town hall, a 25m leisure pool, a specialist gymnastics centre, varied sports facilities, a crèche, a community cinema and café all under one roof and open to the public.

As a result, the Centre picked up the top accolade in the Community Benefits category of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Scotland awards.

This video, produced by pupils at Eastwood High School, clearly demonstrates the benefits being delivered there.